The Adjustment Bureau, the film starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, presents an image of a world with a curious religious perspective that will annoy many and presumably inspire some. The film presents a world that functions much as Deism would suggest: one in which the plan of a very distant and normally uninvolved god... Continue Reading

I’d recommend this book to women who are young, naïve and/or in the habit of making consistently destructive choices when it comes to dating or evaluating potential suitors. (Editor’s Note: Dr. Ryan is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Harrisonburg, VA) When I received a review copy of Ken Ryan’s Finding Your Prince... Continue Reading

This book is not a poem. It is not a piece of art. This is a theological book by a pastor trying to impart a different way of looking at heaven and hell. Whether Bell is creative or a provocateur is beside the point. If Bell is inconsistent, unclear, or inaccurate, claiming the “artist” mantle... Continue Reading

An interview with Grove City College Religion professor T. David Gordon, a minister in the Presbyterian Church of America, on his recent book: Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns (P&R Publishing, 2010) In his new book, Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymn, (P & R Publishing, 2010), T. David Gordon argues that modern worship choruses have trumped... Continue Reading

Love does win, but not the kind of love that Bell talks about in this book. The love he describes is one that is founded solely on the idea that the primary object of God’s love is man; indeed, the whole story, he writes, can be summed up in these words: “For God so loved... Continue Reading

Pop Quiz: Which conservative icon is responsible for the following quotes? “There’s only one bad word: Taxes.” “My dream is to have the parks system privatized and run entirely for profit.” Rush Limbaugh? Glenn Beck? Sean Hannity? Nope. They come from Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), director of the City of Pawnee, Ind.’s Parks and Recreation... Continue Reading

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The King James Bible has shaped the English language, inspired political and religious thought for generations and, arguably, changed the world. The story behind the King James Bible has been told before. And several new books this year will aim to tell it again. British... Continue Reading

‘Of Gods and Men,” in French and Arabic, is one of the most beautiful movies I know, even though its subject matter and otherwordly pace set it apart from mainstream entertainment. They set it so far apart that the film made me recall, of all things, the most beautiful rendition I know of “I Got... Continue Reading

What I really appreciate about Giano’s music is that, as a Latino, he has ability to reach a wide audience with an amazing mix, at times, of English and Spanish lyrics and he raps about the intersection of the gospel and real life. I was so impressed by this mix that I wanted to know... Continue Reading

God makes appearances in a number of Oscar-nominated films, but the Almighty doesn’t play a leading role on screen or preach a theologically orthodox message from the clouds. Rather, spirituality plays a supporting role in those films that either focus on characters’ quest for redemption or provide a fresh take on the eternal battle between... Continue Reading